"Ridgeback breeders and researchers have long known that there is a relationship between the presence of the ridge (or some element of it) and dermoid sinus, a congenital defect that is found in the world’s two ridged breeds -- Rhodesian and Thai ridgebacks. While we do not fully understand this correlation, some have posited that increased ridge homozygosity could have an impact on the prevalence of dermoids. While this is just educated conjecture, it does remind us that moderation – in our dogs as well as our breeding practices – is often the wisest approach." http://www.rhodesianridgebackhealth....egenetics.html

As I have said, no-one really knows and educated conjecture is an educated guess.
Ridgeless RR and other breeds also suffer

Nope!! just what I read on another forum... by people who are involved with rescue.

Maybe they made it up

Well I just sat and watched the programme on iplayer.

I have to say I was horrified most of all by the attitudes of these so called "top breeders" who basically arent interested in hearing anything other than what they want to. It horrified me the cavaleir stud winning best in show when it seems that the whole establishment knows that it has SM and also that it fathered 26 litters after they discovered this. She is lower than low in my opinion and am glad that she was named and shamed.

The ridgeback breeder who said that basically as far as she was concerned a ridgeback without a ridge was just not worthy of life basically, and who was annoyed that her "young" vet wouldnt put the pups down !! ?????

What planet are these people on?

The whole thing disgusts me - I am not a fan of dog shows anyway as its too much primping and standing around for my liking ( and am sure for a dog too) BUT it seems like its all snobbery and cliqueness(sp)

It made me cry watching the poor boxer fitting, and for anyone that has to go through that with a dog, you have my utmost respect. I felt that the first cavalier shown should probably have been put out of its misery as it didnt look happy at all, and if that type of dog came into rescue with that kind of condition that caused it such pain, they would PTS.

It greatly upsets me that as far as th KC are concerned they are more bothered about the breed standard than about health. full stop. They offered nothing to prove otherwise. They just didnt give me any confidence in what either of the men were saying and when the reporter suggested about the inbreeding whether Ronnie would mate with his daughter he was disgusted - but how is it different?

Kennel Club should represent a love of dogs, of treating them well, of them enhancing our lives and for the good of the dogs and in none of the programme did I see any evidence of that.

They need a GIANT shake up - who cares whether the breeders who wont conform fall out with them- thats tough at least then you could as the buying public be able to confidently buy a puppy KNOWING that its been bred properly.

I do think that the impression given that mongrels are better health wasnt great as that opens the door for the BYB and PF to churn out crosses. That should have been better clarified.

Other than that its a scary look inside the world of dog showing and "top" breeders and it made me sick.

it looked like a local/regional show.

In truth, I'm reluctant to take some of the images in the documentary at face value. Maybe I'm looking for a reason why a judge would award 1st to a dog who looked so tottery. Maybe it was the 'bravest dog', or 'cutest handler' class or sommat?? Can't explain it otherwise

lol, yes I've witnessed Zampmania Poor Zamp at Crufts - wrong handler, wrong showring, an event unworthy of his greatness .... apparently

or perhaps champion sires put puppy prices up ....if ya breeding a litter soon

Oh here we go again, I say I like working collies and you jump on me yet again!
If you actually read what I said its that I plan to rescue!

Yes of course I have no guarantees of health but nether do you in a pedigree - even from the best breeder in the world

But at least I am not supporting and encouraging breeding I dont agree with by paying someone large amounts of money for the dog

It is not its fault it has been born and I will do my best to give it a good quality of life and hopefully be strong enough to know when the time has come to end it

again, if and I say if - I ever go the route of a collie pup it will be from a farmer I know and respect who has bred because he wants another dog and the rest of the litter is given out at a small cost to good homes - or even better a young dog who has failed on sheep

I am not and have never said noone needs to health check dogs - but once the pups are on the ground they deserve a happy life as much as any other dog - just so long as I do not support the breeding by funding it then wherre is it so wrong to give these dogs a pet home??

and I have to say I have a friend who is a well respected vet in this area and when I asked her for advice on getting a BC the 1st thing she said was 'dont get one from show lines, we are seeing some disturbing behavioural problems with the show line dogs!' - in her experience there were far less health problems in working dogs than mind problems with their inbred counterparts

Er I can guarantee that I will not breed any puppies with CEA(CH)/CL/TNS/MDR-1/PRA because my dogs(& any stud dogs I use)are all health tested-you cannot if the parents are not tested.

BTW my BC's are NOT show bred dogs they are bred to work with a pedigree that is either all working dogs(Rjj)or Obedience/ISDS(Jessie & Wukee-who has already shown herding ability)

My neighbours have a lurcher bred to work-he is 4 & is on heart medication for a serious heart condition & yes he was a rescue !! Good job they have Petplan Insurance to pay for his very expensive medication-but aren't crossbreeds more healthy & non pedigree untested dogs more healthy ?

I have not read the thread, as I cannot force myself to read through 23 pages worth.

I was disgusted at lasts nights program and the way it was heavily edited to disgrace breeders, the KC and people who are involved in the show world.

The KC is not to blame for health problems in purebred dogs - the individuals that breed those dogs are. GREED and money are the motivation behind breeding genetically diseased dogs. The lady with the diseased show-dog Cavalier is not interested in the long term health of the breed. If she did, she would not breed from a dog carrying a genetic disease. Instead, she breeds because she is motivated by money.

The RSPCA chief vets comments in regard to show dogs appalled me. If HE is the RSPCA chief vet, God help us all. Dog shows are "mutant parades", according to him. Rediculous. There is no denying that many breeds have issues caused by over and in breeding. But to suggest that all who breed show dogs are doing some kind of disservice to the breed is madless. The programme FAILED to recognize responsible breeders. It FAILED to recognize breeders who health test, temperament test, show and work their dogs. It FAILED to regonize the hundreds, if not thousands, of puppy mills that churn out millions of genetically unsound puppies each year.

Disgusting.

Oh, and comparing breeding purebred dogs to Nazism. Madness.

I would love for someone to make a fair, unbiased documentary into the breeding of pedigree dogs. But no. Imagine that - THAT would not make good viewing, would it? THAT wouldn't pull in the millions of viewers.